Writing pen



March 6, 1928. 1,661,746

E. CALDWELL WRITING PEN Filed Jan. 29. 1923 iii "'INV-ENTOR.

[OW/ll emu/rm ATTORNEYS Patented Mar. 6, 1928.

UNITED. s'ra'nzs PATENT o 1,661,746 FFICE.

EDWIN CALDWELL, OF YORK, N. Y.

WRITING PEN.

Application filed January 29, 1923. Serial No. 615,489.

written upon, and which is strong, durable and inexpensive. A further object of the I invention is to provide an improved fountain pen which has a'maximum possible ink capacity, with which the ink may be supplied 1n closed tubes or handles that can be substituted for the used tubes or handles and the ink therein rendered available by the mere act of connecting a tube or handle to the feeding device ofthe pen, and with which the ink-containing tubes or handles cannot be readily refilled. Otherobjects and advantages will be apparent from the following description of a number of embodiments of the invention, and the novel features will be particularly pointed out hereinafter in claims.

In the accompanying drawings: Fig. 1 is an elevation of a pen constructed in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2'is a longitudinal section of the same on a larger scale. taken substantially along the line 2- 2 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a section through the pen taken substantially along the line 7-7 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section through the ink carrying handle, before its attachment to the ink feed device or pen support,

embodiment of the invention.

'In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figures 1 to 4. a tubular handle 1 is closed at one end, and at its other end is provided with internal screw threads2, by means of which it may be attached to a reduced end 3 of a tubular element 4. The end of the handle isthreaded upon the. reduced end 3 until its end edge abuts against a-shoulder between the reduced end and the body of the element 4, so that the outer surface of the handle 1 will form a substantial continuance of the outer surface of the element 4. The element 4 and the handle 1 constitute inefiect the barrel of the pen.

The outer end of the element 4 is closed by a removable ink feed or device 5 which is of the feed ing end of the ink feed device "Fig. 5 is a plan partly in secti'onof another slightly tapered at its inner end so as to be held therein by a slight wedging action. A wrlting pen 6 overlies the feeddevice 5, and extends for a short distance into the tubular element 4 when the feed device is forced into v the tubular element, the wedging action serving to press the inner end of the pen against the feed device and hold its against displacement therefrom.. The inner end of the pen may be slotted, as at 7. so as to embrace :1.

lug 8 provided'upon the feed device, and.

which serves to prevent peripheral or transverse displacement of the pen upon the feed device. The feed device'is also provided, upon the face covered by the pen, with a pin 9 undercut to some extent on the side towards the outer end of the pen. The pen 6 is provided intermediate of its ends. with an aperture 10 which is adapted to pass over the pin 9 when the pen is applied to the feed device. When the pen 6 is then shifted endwise along the feed device towards the barrel, a portion of the periphery of the aperture 10 will move into the undercut part of.

the pin, so as to secure the pen upon the feed device and against separation through flexing of the pen, and also against lateral displacement thereon. The slot 7 of the pen has a length suflicient to permit of the before mentioned sliding movement of the pen when carrying it beneath the undercut pin. The pin 9 is placed intermediate the ends device so that the slitted writpen will extend for some distance outwardly beyond the pin 9. The is provided with a. channel or passage 11 which at one end opens beneath the slotted endof the pen and at the other end communicates with the interior of the tubular element 4 of the barrel.

The tubular handle 1. at a short distance from its open end. is provided with a plurality of internal annularly spaced abutments 12, which may be formed in any suitable manner such as by pressing or indenting the walls of the handle 1 inwardly, at a number of peripherally spacedpoints, The handle is filled with inkorother Writing fluid and isnormally closed at its open end by a disc 13, so that the handle when not attached to the tubular element 4 may be carried in any position without danger of spilling the ink. This condition of the tubular handle is shown in Fig. 4. The disc is preferably made of suitable resilient and flexible material, such as celluloid or semi-hard rubber.

' spring stri 16 outwar The inner end 14 of the tubular element 4 of the barrel is of reduced size and adapted to engage the center of the disc and press it toward the closed end of the tube when the handle is attached to the tubular element 4. This flexed condition of the disc is shown in Fig. 2. The abutments 12 hold the periphery of the disc from movement inwardly along the tube or handle, and since the effective diameter of the disc is varied when it is flexed conically arcuate spaces will be provided around the disc and between the spaced abutments, through which the ink may pass from the interior of the handle to the tubular element 4. The tubular element 4 is rovided with suitable passages 15 open ing into the interior thereof from parts of the periphery of the inner reduced end which'are notin contact with the disc 13, so that the ink passing around the periphery of the disc may pass through the passages 15 into the interior of the tubular element. From the latter the ink may pass through the passage 11 to the pen point as usual in fountain pens. If the handle 1 is unscrewed from the tubular element 4, the reduced end 14 of the latter will move away from the disc 12 and the latter will then, because of its resiliency, spring back into its original position in which it closes the tubular handle and prevents loss of ink therefrom.

In order to prevent leakage of the pen when it is carried about in other than strictly upright positions, I have provided, in the feed device, a valve for controllin the flow of ink to the pen point. The fee device is from its unprovided with a recess opening der face and intersecting wit the passage 11, preferably extending slightly beyond the intersection with the passage 11. In this recess a plunger 16 is disposed for reciprocation to various extents across the passage 11. Thus when the plunger is at its'inner limit of movement it will1'extend entirely across and entirel close the passage 11, so that the flow of in through the passage will be entirely shut off. When the plunger is pulled outwardl as soon as its innenend asses through t e passage e again opened so as to allow the flow of the ink through the passage to the pen point. A; resilient spring strip17 at one end extends into the plunger 16 and at its other end carries laterally extending ,clip arms 18 which surround the feed device in opposite directions in resilient embracing engagement therewith. The feed device is grooved slightly in its lower face so as to countersink the spring strip with rovision for some movement thereof when 1t flexes, and is also grooved annularly to countersink the clip arms; 18 and allow them to'move with the feed device into the tubular element 4. The 17 normally shifts the plunger y so as to permit unrestricted 11, the latter will flow of the ink through the feed device to the pen point.

A. cap 19 is adapted to fit over the outer end of the tubular element 4 and enclose the feed device and writing pen so as to proteet the latter against injury and prevent, as far as possible, evaporation of the ink therefrom. The inner peripheral surface of the cap is beveled intermediate of its ends so as to be inwardly convergent. This convergent portion of the peripheral surface constitutes a cam surface 19 which is adapted to engage the plunger 16 and force it inwardly against the action of the spring strip 17 when the cap is applied over the feed device to the barrel. Thus by the mere application of the cap to the pen for the purpose of enclosing and protecting the pen point, the valve formed by the plunger 16 will be automatically closed so as to prevent flow of ink to the pen point. The pen ma then be carried in any position without anger of leakage, and what is commonl known as sweating of the pen will be argely prevented. When the cap is removed in order to enable one to write with the pen, the plun er or valve willbe released and immediate y the spring strip 17 will shift the valve or plunger outwardly until the passage 11 .is unrestricted.

The cap may have the usual securing spring clip 20 thereon, which is adapted to fit over "the edge of the garment or pocket and anchor the pen thereto when it is to be carried about. The cap, on its outer surface beneath the spring or safety clip 20and intermediate the ends of the latter, is provided with a projection 21 so that when the clip is passed over'the edge of the garment or pocket the fabric thereof will pass beneath the clip and over the projection, with the result that the springclip will press the fabric over the projection 21 of the cap and form a more secure anchorage than is ossible when mere friction between the straight surface of the cap and the garment is relied upon. This pro ection beneath the clip is preferabl and may be conveniently, formed y prov: ing upon the cap a peripheral annular rib. l

A sleeve 22 may he slipped over the outer end of the handle 1 of t e pen, and carry at its outer end an ink eraser 23 of some suitable rubber composition. This eraser however, is optional and may be omitted if desired.

With this pen the entire capacity of the handle is utilized as the ink reservoir, and when the supply of ink thereinhas been exhausted in the use of the pen, the handle may be unscrewed from the tubular element 4 and replaced by a new handle with a new supply of ink by the mere act of screwing the new handle thereon. The handle is automatically opened during its attachment to the tubular element so as to connect its interior with the feed device. This replaceand inexpensive material such as metal tubing, or of-any ofthe various molded or fibrous compositions which may be selected. The cost of the handles, their filling and closing of the same, is so inexpensive-that the cost of supplying ink to fountain pens of this type is comparatively low and economically feasible. Owing to the fact that the disc 13 which constitutes a valve in the tubular handle is automatically closed when the'handle'is removed from the tubular element, there is no danger of'spilling any of the ink which may remain in the tubular handle when the change of handles is made.

In order to render such a en more attractive in appearance, the tubu ar element may, if desired, be provided with an intermediate peripheral step-portion 24 (see Fig. 5) between the threaded extension 25 and the largest portion 26 thereof, so that after the handle 1 has been attached to the extension 25 in the manner described in connection with Figures 1 to 4, a shell 27 may be passed over the handle and upon the step-portion 24 in order to entirely enclose or conceal the tubular handle. This shell 27 is adapted to form' a continuation of the outer surface of the large portion 26 of the tubular element, may be formed entirely of the. precious metals, or the baser metals coated with the precious metals, and may have any desired engraving or ornamentation thereon. If desired, the shell 27 may also be formed of any molded or fibrous compositions and carry any suitable ornamentation. The use of the shell 27 is desirable whenever ornamenta tion of the barrel of the pen is desired, be-

cause it would not be feasible to provide ornamentation on the tubular handle 1 which is to be discarded when the supply of ink therein is exhausted.

The. parts of the pen may be made entire- 1y of metal, or of molded or fibrous materials, or of both, and it will be understood that various changes in the details and arrangements of parts herein described and illustrated for the purpose of ex lainin the principle of the invention, may me. e' by those skilled in the art wit 'in the principle and scope of the invention, as ex'presed in the a pended claims. i

I cliaim:

1. .A- fountain pen com ceding infi iio t l fd the same end constructed for attachment to fnectedto the su port and adapted to .com-

to the sufpport, said handle, at the end pen, and a tubular handle detachably com on nected to the su port and adapted to communicate with t e said means for feeding contained ink to the pen when it is attached to the support, said handle, at the end adapted for connection to the support, having a self-closing valve which .is engaged and operated to open position .by the pen support when the latter is attached to the handle.

2. A fountain pen com rising a en support having means for ceding in to the pen, a tubular handle detachably connected to the support, and adapted to communicate with the said means for, feeding contained ink to the pen when it is attached to the support, said handle having annularly spaced internal abutments disposed a short distance from the end, a disc of flexible resilient material forced into that end of the handle adapted for connection tothe sup port and against the abutments, said support having aportion adapted to engage and how .the disc against the abutments when the handle is attached to the support, whereby the flexing of the disc permits passage of ink from the handle to the pen.

3. A tubular fountain pen handle having one end closed by a self-closing valve and at the writing part of the pen, whereby when the handle is attached tothe writing part of the en the valve will be automatically opened y the act of attachment.

.4. Infountain pens, a tube of ink having adjacent an open end a plurality of annularly spaced internal abutments, and a disc forced into said end against the abutments to close the tube.

5. The structure substantially as set forth in claim 4 .in which the tube between the disc and the open end is threaded for attachment of the tube to the writing mechanism of a pen.

6. A fountain pen comprising a n su port having means for ceding-i to t e pen, and a tubular handle detachably conmunicate with t c said means. for feedin contained ink to the pen when it is attached 5 adapted or connection to the support, having a valve which is en ged and oper ated' to o 11 position by ti e 11 su port when the atter is attached to tlighandle.

7. In fountain pens, a tube of ink having adjacent an open end a plurality of annular" ly spaced internal abutments, anda disc of resi 'entflexible material forced into said end against the-abutments to close the tube. i

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe mysignature.

EDWIN ALDWELL. 

